Theresa May wastes an opportunity to regalvanise her party
By BAGEHOT
TODAY’S Cabinet reshuffle was billed as a golden opportunity for Theresa May to achieve two things: stamp her authority on the Conservative Party after the debacle of the general election and regalvanise her party in order to meet the rising threat from Jeremy Corbyn. She failed spectacularly to achieve either goal.
The biggest change of the day is that David Lidington, a little-known figure from the Major administration, will replace Damian Green as secretary of state for the Cabinet Office, giving him the chairmanship of about twenty Cabinet Committees and the responsibility for co-ordinating policy. (Mr Lidington won’t have Mr Green’s important-sounding but largely meaningless title of deputy prime minister.) James Brokenshire will also retire as secretary of state for Ireland. But this is largely because of health problems (Mr Brokenshire needs a lung operation) rather than due to any political imperative. He will be replaced by another May loyalist, Karen Bradley.
